


Gods' Favor

by esmerod



Series: Gods' Favor [1]
Category: Star Trek: Picard
Genre: Coda, Episode Tag, Episode: s01e05 Stardust City Rag, Fix-It, M/M, Missing Scene, Q Continuum, implied Qcard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:22:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25712755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/esmerod/pseuds/esmerod
Summary: PIC s1e5: After we see Seven mercy-killing Icheb, Q decides he doesn't quite agree with her methods.
Relationships: Icheb/Q Junior, Jean-Luc Picard/Q
Series: Gods' Favor [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1994983
Comments: 5
Kudos: 51
Collections: Star Trek Bingo Summer 2020





	Gods' Favor

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Star Trek Bingo 2020, prompt: Episode tag/ missing scene
> 
> Q = Q senior  
> q = Q junior

"You know, Junior, the Continuum won't be pleased about this," Q says with his arms folded over his chest. He's trying to look stern, but it never quite works for him, so q's not concerned. He regards the dead body on the examination table instead.

Seven of Nine left a few minutes ago, still shaking, leaving what remained of her almost-son behind. If q was inclined as such, he'd say he felt for her, but being what he is, the notion of empathy for the mortal affliction is still somewhat elusive to him – despite his own brief stint with humanity.

"Since when do you care what the Continuum thinks," q answers, his eyes not leaving the motionless body. He walks round the examination table, gently touching Icheb's face.

Q shrugs and follows him on the other side, examining the dead man's expression. "I never quite understood what you saw in this one. I mean drone boy here is even more of goody two-shoes than Jean-Luc."

q ignores his progenitor, his fingers carefully tracing the jagged edge of the hole where Icheb's eye used to be. It must have hurt so much. He really wishes they would have let him step in sooner, but oh no, the time stream must be preserved. His hand balls into a fist. Q notices, so he wills himself to relax again and instead says, "He's my only friend. A sentiment you should be quite familiar with."

Q sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Oh, Junior, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. Even if you revive him now, he's still going to die someday. It's the way of mortals. You have to learn to let go."

"Like you have let go of Picard?"

Q looks piqued and narrows his eyes. "That's an entirely different situation. Jean-Luc plays an important role in the preservation of the time stream and the galaxy itself. He can't die from a silly little brain abnormality."

"Of course not," q quips, "besides, who would you harass if Picard were gone."

"Exactly!"

Q grins, and Junior rolls his eyes. He has to admit his progenitor playing deliberately obtuse is somewhat irritating when it's directed at him. Not that he has never made use of said technique himself, he has! It always drives mortals crazy. A small smile starts gracing the corners of his lips and he thinks of the last time his behavior elicited an exasperated sigh from Icheb. He had just started his mission aboard the USS Coleman, trying to make a good impression on the captain and q had done everything to break the young man's veneer of dutiful decorum. It had been so much fun.

"Oh no! No no no!" Q smacks him over the head, and q recoils in surprised indignation, holding his head in a mock dramatic fashion. "What?!"

"You're in love with this pathetic fool! I can see it on your face!" Q points at the corpse and looks completely outraged. "You can't be. I forbid it!" He lifts his chin and folds his arms over his chest, once again making a futile attempt at parental severity.

q scoffs. "You can't dictate who I love or don't love. Go and bother Picard, or something." He makes a dismissive gesture. "I hear he's rather depressed sitting around this vineyard of his and playing retiree."

"Don't change the subject, Junior."

They stare at each other, a battle of wills that has some stars colliding in the background, and to his own surprise it's q who lowers his gaze first. His shoulders slump. "I just want him to live," he admits, his voice small. "He's still so young, he could have another hundred years before old age takes him."

"But it will take him in the end."

The truthfulness of the statement has q shrug helplessly. "I just want more time."

"Oh, Junior," Q sighs, heavy and frustrated, but there's something akin to understanding in his eyes. He places a hand on his son's arm. "More time won't make it easier when he eventually wants to leave."

"But he doesn't! Not yet. He was brutally murdered and deserves a chance to have a full life!" His voice has become louder again, and q knows he's essentially making a futile argument. The Continuum would demand to know why this mortal was more deserving of a second chance than all the billions of other souls that had their lives snuffed out too early, and q has no answer… no answer other than him liking this particular mortal more than all the billions of other unfortunate souls.

But he also knows his progenitor understands, for Q has the unsavory habit of playing favorites too. So he chances a look at Q's face, whose expression is thoughtful. "Things need to play out the way they're supposed to," he mutters more to himself than anyone else. Still, it has q prick up his ears.

"Seven needs a cause for vengeance and to join forces with Jean-Luc, so he can succeed."

Junior nods. It's bordering on eager now, but he can see exactly in which direction Q's musings are going. He can revive Icheb as long as it doesn't affect the bigger picture. "I could take him away from Starfleet. Nobody needs to know he's alive."

Q throws him a _careful now, son_ look, but Junior is getting on a roll. "He wouldn't like it, at least not initially, but if I explained the necessity of it…" He gestures wildly.

Q raises an unimpressed eyebrow, clearly doubting any mortal's capability of grasping the necessity of matters on a universal scale, but Junior is undeterred. "He'd understand," he stresses.

"I could take him exploring first. Mortal minds are always a bit awestruck the first time they see a proto-star up close," he rants and starts pacing next to the examination table. "Or maybe a dark matter nebula, those are rather pretty. He wouldn't even notice that all his friends think him dead, would he?" He stops and looks at Q imploringly who doesn't answer but instead regards his son with an intense look.

Then, after a pause long enough for a few star systems to form, he sighs. "You’ve always been a bit too much like me." He shakes his head and moves away from Icheb's corpse. One flash of light later and he's gone. q stares after him, confused but too Q to admit there's anything beyond his grasp.

His attention eventually returns to Icheb. He assumes that Q's departure means he's allowed to bring the young man back. The prospect is exhilarating.

He touches Icheb's brow and one thought later the body sputters back to life with a surprised gasp.

Icheb's eyes open and he stares at q.

"Hey, there Itchi," q says, gently touching the young man's arm, helping him into an upright position.  
  
Icheb looks around, disorientated. "Q-Ball?" Then his hand flies to his eye that has been so masterfully replaced. "I was dead, wasn't I?" he groans. "Couldn't you have come earlier?"

q gives him a lopsided grin. "I'm here now."

The End


End file.
